Adjustable splint.



I J. H. BLLINGSWQRTH. ADJUSTABLE SPLINT. APPLICATION FILED JAN. a 1913.

1,066,190, Patented July 1, 191 3.

2 SBEETIHEEBT 1.

wine 56 es CIA/Fe 2D I J. H. ELLINGSWORTH.

ADJ USTABLB SPLINT. APPLICATION TILED JAN.6,1913.

Patented July 1,1913.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wfnssea I JOSEPH HECTOR ELLINGSWORTH, or warnn'rowu, ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE SPLIN'I'.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Juiy 1, 1913-.

Application filed January 6, 1913. Serial No. 740,414.

Ta all whom i t may concern: I v

vBe-it known that I, JOSEPH Hncron Err Lines-WORTH, a citizen of the United States,

- lower limbs.

illustratedone example of the physical enr' The essential object of the invention is the provision of a fracture apparatuswhichis easily adjustable, simple in operation, and may be quickly applied, and after being applied Will be efficient in per-forming the functions required of this "type of apparatus. g

In the accompanying drawings I have bodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

' Figure 1 illustrates the apparatus, or adjustable splint; applied as in actual use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged, detailed, broken elevation, of a portion, of the apparatus, partly broken away for convenience of illustration.

'Fig. 3 is a detail, sectional View of thelower end of the apparatus, as seen from a point at right angles to the View point of Fig. 2.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I employ a. tubular, metallic member 1, which is of suitable length and diameter, and while comparatively light in weight this member is sufficiently strong to perform its function as a splint. Into the upper open end of the member 1, a stem 2 is adapted to fit, and this stem is formed with a fork 3 or crutch, which conforms to the shape of the shoulder and is adapted to lit-thereunder. The stem of the fork or. crutch is adjustable in the tube or tubular member 1- and when so adjusted may be held. in position by means of the set screw 4 which is threaded into the body of the "tube 1.

. Located at a suit-able point on the tube 1 is a curved brace 5 which in actual practice is preferably brazed to the tube 1, and is I turning the rack wheel to pro ect the rack perforated. and threaded 'to accommodate the screw 6, which screw is provided with a.

- buckled usually above the knee.

lsioning device which includes a strap 9 buckled around they thigh, and provided with a coupling member or clip 10. The strap passes through an opening '11 in the clip, -'and the head 7 .of the screw 6 is loosely incased and free to turn within this clip. Above the thigh strap, a waist strapll is connected to the tube 1 byv means of the staplec-r loop 12 which is loose and there'- fore slidable on the'tube 1. A fixed loop 13 is arranged below the tension brace of "the;

splint,-and this loop is for the purpose of 5 holding or securing the strap 14 which is- At the lower end of the tube 1, the-materialis cut out to form a slotfor the accommodation. of arack wheel 15 which isjour-v naled in the ears lo-integral with. the tube.

This wheel; may-be rotated by means Graig key 17 which is adapted to fit over the post;v 18 ofthe wheeljournal. Within the lower. end of the tube, a rack bar 18' is slidable,

and in Fig. 3 it will be seen that theteeth 19 of thebar are-engagedby the teeth of the rack w'heel l5, so that it willbereadily understood that by means of the ,key as described, the rack bar may be projected from the tube, or made to recede therein, as desired. The rack bar is forked aria; lower end, and the tines 20 of the fork are at tached, as by screws 21 to the steel sole 22. The shoe 23 of which the sole forms a part is adapted for use .on either foot, and the sole is perforated at both sides for there'- ception 6f the screws.

The s oe may be attached to the foot by means of the buckled straps 24 and 25 as clearlyshowir-in Fig. 1.

The application of the apparatus is clearly illustrated in'the first figure of the drawing, wherein a fractured bone is indicated in dotted "lines. The crutch portion of the splint is firstplaced up under the arm, and when properly adjusted,'the set screw is turned to secure the stem in the tube. f,The waist belt or strap is then ad justed about the waist, and the knee strap, is bu ckledabove the knee. The foot of the fractured limb" having been incased and buckled within the shoe, the splintis now readyjfor manipulation of the tension devices. 'Tension is placed upon the-foot by bar-and steel sole from-the tube. The shoe being firmly attached to the sole, and the foot securely held withinthe shoe, it will be clearly understood that the foot of the patient and his fractured member will move with the rod or rack bar and sole. The rack bar will be projected until the desired tension is secured, thus reducing the fracture, and the. set screw is adjusted to hold the rack bar in distended position. Now by means of the screw 6 the lateral tension of loop and a'waist belt for attachment .to the body; an integral arched brace, a screw in the brace, a coupling clip and a thigh strap for creating a lateral tension, and means for creating an axial tension.

2. In an adjustable splint, the combinationwith a tubular memberfand a crutch member adjustable therein, an adjustable loo and. a waistbelt for attachment to the bow y'y-anintegral arched brace, a-screw, a coupling clipand ja thigh strap for creating a" lateral tension; a lower section telescoping in the. lower end of the tubular member, means for adjusting-said section, and a shoe on said section.

3, An adjustable splint. comprising a tubular member having a telescoping section at each end, and means foripro ecting the lower end to create an axial tension, a

strap adapted to encompass a limb and a SOI'BWIII bar threaded into a port-ion of the splint whereby a lateral tension may be created upon the limb through the strap.

4. An adjustable spl nt comprising a a stem telescoping in said member, an axial tension devlce includlng a rack bar with a shoe attached thereto, said rack bar telescrew bar, and strap..

5. The combination iii an apparatus as described with a supporting member of an integral extension thereon, a screw bar threaded through said. extension, a strap adapted to encircle the limb, and a loose coupling'between said'strap and screw bar, for. the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in" presence of two witnesses.

- JOSEPH HEOTORIELLINGSWO-RTH.

I Witnesses:

L. T. OU'rrEN, A. DE SCHEPPER.

tubular member, a crutch member having 

